1 cup packed brown sugar

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the pans

2/3 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups buttermilk

Directions:

Place a rack in the center and upper third of the oven. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Thoroughly wash beets under running water, and trim their leaves, leaving about 1/2 inch of stem. Place clean beets in a piece of foil. Drizzle with just a bit of vegetable oil. Seal up foil. Place on a baking sheet in the oven. Roast until beets are tender when pierced with a knife, about 1 hour.

Remove the beets from the oven. Open the foil and allow beets to cool completely. Beets will be easy to peel (just using a paring knife) once completely cooled.

Using a box grater, grate the peeled beets on the finest grating plane. Measure 3/4 cup of grated beets for the cake and 2 tablespoons for the frosting. Set aside.

Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Use butter to grease two 8 or 9-inch round baking pans. Trace a piece of parchment paper so it is the same size as the bottom of the cake pan. Cut it out and place inside the cake pan. Butter the parchment paper. Add a dusting of flour to coat the pan. Set pans aside while you prepare the cake.

In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugars. Beat on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time, for one minute after each addition. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Once eggs are incorporated, beat in beets and vanilla extract until thoroughly combined.

Add half of the dry ingredients to the butter and egg mixture. Beating on low speed , slowly add the buttermilk. Once just incorporated, add the other half of the dry ingredients. Beat on medium speed until milk and dry ingredients are just incorporated. Try not to overmix the batter. Bowl can be removed from the mixer and mixture folded with a spatula to finish incorporating ingredients. Cake batter will be on the thick side… not pourable.

Divide the batter between the two prepared cake pans. Bake for 23 to 25 minutes (for a 9-inch pan) or 30-32 minutes (for an 8-inch pan). Cake is done when a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove cakes from the oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Invert cakes onto a cooling rack to cool completely before frosting and assembling the cake.

Sift Powdered Sugar on top or Use A Cream Cheese Frosting Option Below:

For the Frosting:

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

8 ounces (1 brick) cream cheese, softened

4 to 5 cups powdered sugar, sifted

2 tablespoons finely grated beets, mashed with a fork

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or scrapings of one vanilla bean pod

1-2 teaspoons milk, depending on desired consistency

1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

pinch of salt

Cream Cheese Frosting Directions:

In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, beat cream cheese for 30 seconds, until pliable and smooth. Add the butter and beat for another 30 seconds, until well combined. Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl as necessary. Beat in the beets. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, milk, lemon juice, and salt. Beat on medium speed until smooth and silky. Refrigerate the frosting for 30 minutes before frosting the cooled cakes.

To assemble the cake, place one layer of cake on a cake stand or cake plate. Top with a generous amount of pink frosting. Spread evenly. Place the other cake on top of the frosting. Top with frosting. Work frosting onto the sides of the cake. You will have extra frosting left over. Refrigerate for an hour before serving (it will make the cake easier to slice). Cake will last, well wrapped in the refrigerator, for up to 4 days.

Beet Burgers

Ingredients;

1 beet, shredded (about ¾ cup)

2 carrots, shredded (about ¾ cup)

1/2 red onion

1 clove garlic

3/4 c raw walnuts

1/4 c raw pumpkin seeds

1 c cooked lentils

1 tsp hot paprika

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp sea salt

½-¾ c oat flour or oat bran

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°, or heat your grill.

Use your food processor with the shred blade to easily shred beets and carrots. Place shredded veggies in a large bowl. In the food processor with the chop blade, pulse the red onions and garlic until minced. Place in the bowl with the beets. Place the walnuts and pumpkin seeds into the processor and blend until the mixture is finely chopped, place in the bowl. Finally, add the lentils and spices to the processor, and pulse to combine. Don’t puree the lentils to keep some texture. Stir the lentils into the large bowl, followed by the oat flour. Stir well to combine all of the ingredients and season with more sea salt to taste.

Form into tightly packed patties, and place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet, or on the grill. If baking, cook for 35 minutes. Grill for 8-10 minutes each side.

Grilled Beets With Rosemary Vinegar

Ingredients:

1/3 cup Balsamic Vinegar

1 Tspn. Chopped Fresh Rosemary

1 Clove of Garlic, Peeled and Crushed

1/2 Tspn. Herbs de Provance

3 Beets, Sliced and Cut into Rounds

Instructions:

In a medium bowl, mix balsamic vinegar, rosemary, garlic, and herbes de Provence. Place beets in the mixture, and marinate at least 20 minutes.

Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat, and lightly oil grate.

Place the beets and marinade mixture on a piece of foil large enough to wrap all ingredients, and seal tightly. Place the foil packet on the prepared grill, and cook 25 minutes, or until beets are tender.

Remove beets from the packet, and place directly on the grill grate for 2 to 5 minutes before serving hot.

Mashed Beets

Ingredients:

2 1/2 Lbs. Beets

1 Russet Potato

3 Tblsp. Butter

Salt and Pepper To Taste

Directions

Place beets and potato in large pot and bring to a boil to soften. When you can pierce beets and potato with a fork, they are done. Drain the water from the pot. If you like mashed vegetables with the skin on, you can simply begin to mash with your mixer or food processor. If you prefer the skin off, boiling the vegetables will make it a lot easier to remove the skin with a peeler, then mash together with the butter, salt and pepper, serve and enjoy!

Combine beets, thyme branches, garlic and peppercorns in a large pot. Cover with cold salted water. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat; cook until beets are tender, 15 to 30 minutes depending on size. Remove with a slotted spoon. Add greens and cook for 2 minutes (do this in batches if necessary); remove with tongs and transfer immediately to a bowl of ice water. Drain well.

Once beets are cool enough to handle, peel them and slice crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Roughly chop greens’ leaves and stalks.

Make the crumble topping: In a small bowl, stir together remaining 2/3 cup flour, the oats and the hazelnuts. Use your fingers to work in 6 tablespoons butter, the remaining 1 ounce Cheddar ( 1/4 cup) and the Parmigiano-Reggiano. It should be a mixture of large and small pieces. Season with a pinch of salt, pepper and the nutmeg.

When you are ready to assemble the dish, heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 2-quart gratin or baking dish. Spread a layer of béchamel on the bottom. Top with a layer of beets, followed by a layer of greens and stalks. Season generously with salt and pepper, and sprinkle with thyme leaves. Spread another layer of béchamel on top and repeat process to fill dish (you will end up with 3 or 4 layers). Cover entire surface with crumble topping. Transfer dish to oven and bake until bubbling and golden brown in spots, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Why Eat Beets, You Ask?

Beets are an extremely nutritious food choice that just happens to be tasty and delicious – you can eat the greens too! We know that beets are an incrediblely rich source of vitamins and minerals.

If you’re not a beet lover, read on, and you soon will be.

1. Beets Are Nature’s Viagra

One of the first known uses of beets was by the ancient Romans, who used them medicinally as an aphrodisiac. And that’s not just urban legend – science backs it up. Beets contain high amounts of boron, which is directly related to the production of human sex hormones.

2. Beets Are High In Many Vitamins And Minerals

Potassium, magnesium, fiber, phosphorus, iron; vitamins A, B & C; beta-carotene, beta-cyanine; folic acid. These are but a few of the many nutrients, vitamins and minerals that can be found in beets and beet greens. Beets are particularly beneficial to women whom are pregnant, as the vitamin B and iron are very beneficial to new growth cells during pregnancy and replenishing iron in the woman’s body.

3. Beets Cleanse The Body

They are a wonderful tonic for the liver, works as a purifier for the blood, and can prevent various forms of cancer. They taste good and prevent cancer. Enough said.

4. Beets Help Your Mental Health

Beets contain betaine, the same substance that is used in certain treatments of depression. They also contain trytophan, which relaxes the mind and creates a sense of well-being, similar to chocolate. Beets can also lower your blood pressure. So if you’re already steamed about not eating beets, you can get a two-fer by diving into them right away.

5. Beets Are Used As A Stomach Acid Tester

If you are eating a lot of beets or beet juice, and your urine turns pink, guess what? You have low stomach acid. Urine still clear? Ratchet it up and get juicing (use the greens too)! Nutritionists use beets and beet juice to test stomach acid levels, so stay ahead of the curve by adding beets to your diet now.

6. Beets Are A High Source Of Energy

At the same time they are low in calories. Very few foods found in the natural world are as beneficial as beets in this regard.

Beets are a wonderful addition to any dietary need. With their high volume of nutrients, delicious taste, and multitude of uses, anyone can jump right into beets without missing a beat.

Put 2 pounds beets in a baking dish lined with a large sheet of aluminum foil. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 3 tablespoons water and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Bring the foil edges together; fold to seal. Roast at 325 degrees F until tender, 45 minutes for small beets and up to 2 hours, 30 minutes for large ones. Let cool. Peel the beets; cut into cubes. Whisk the juice of 1 lemon, 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a bowl; whisk in 3 tablespoons olive oil. Toss with the beets.

TIP: Roasting beets intensifies their sweet, earthy flavor. All they need is a simple vinaigrette.

What are Nightshades?

You may have heard of the term “deadly nightshade” referring to a plant called belladonna, which was used as a poison in ancient times. Lesser known are the commonly eaten vegetables in the same nightshade family. They aren’t deadly, but they contain enough toxins to cause inflammation in some people, particularly those with leaky gut or autoimmune disease. Often, we don’t realize just how much, until we stop eating them. Here’s the list:

How Are They Harmful?

First of all, nightshades aren’t harmful to everyone, but they are harmful to some of us. Why? They contain toxic compounds called alkaloids. In nature, these protect the plants against insects, by poisoning the insect and dissolving its cell membranes. Unfortunately, alkaloids can have a similar effect in humans, increasing our inflammation, overactivating our immune system, and causing permeability in our intestinal membranes (known as leaky gut.) If someone’s healthy, with low inflammation in their body, a balanced immune system, and a healthy and strong digestive tract, they can often eat nightshade vegetables without a problem. However, if you have health issues, particularly if you have autoimmune disease, nightshades are a common food trigger which can make your symptoms worse.

How Do I Learn If I’m Sensitive?

The only way to know is to eliminate them from your diet for at least 30 days. (No cheating.) Then, reintroduce them into your diet as a test: eat them at least 3 times over a 2-day period, and then stop eating them, and monitor your symptoms for 72 hours. Did you improve during the 30 days? Did you have a negative reaction when you ate them again? If yes, you’re nightshade-sensitive. If no, you’re not.

Does the Amount Matter? Can I Eat Just a Little?

I don’t recommend it. When I first went nightshade-free, I gave up the vegetables but kept eating the spices. I thought, ‘How can such a small amount hurt me?’ My inflammation lessened, but some remained. Then I did a strict elimination protocol, avoiding the spices as well. When I reintroduced them 30 days later, I had a huge reaction. Every joint in my body hurt, and it took 2 weeks before I returned to feeling normal again. Elimination diets are powerful learning tools, because by removing a food from your circulation altogether, you eliminate the chronic inflammatory response. When the food is reintroduced, if you’re sensitive, you will get an acute short-term reaction. It’s a very clear communication from your body on what foods are good for you and what foods are not.

• If you’re craving potatoes, replace them with a starchy alternative: sweet potatoes, beets, parsnips, butternut squash. You can cook all of these the same way you cook potatoes: fries, chips, roasted, mashed, and you know what? They have more flavor, too!• Although there’s really no substitute for a fresh summer tomato, there IS a healthy substitute for traditional tomato sauce and ketchup from The Beet Lady, visit: www.Thebeetlady.com.• Nightshade spices usually give food a hot kick. You can still get this sensation through non-nightshade spices: white pepper, black pepper, ginger and horseradish. Usually you’ll need more of these spices than you would of the red peppers. Experiment.• Restaurants are tricky. Many sauces and spice blends contain nightshade spices. You have two options: ask your waiter how the food is seasoned (and trust them to tell you the truth). Or order your food unseasoned and bring some spices with you.

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Brush the beet with olive oil and season with kosher salt and pepper. Wrap the beet in foil and roast for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, until tender; let cool slightly. Peel the beet and slice crosswise 1/4 inch thick. Transfer the slices to a plate and drizzle with the 1 tablespoon of olive oil, then sprinkle with the coriander and smoked salt.In a bowl, whisk the mayonnaise with the ketchup, relish and lemon juice. Season the Russian dressing with salt and pepper.Preheat the broiler. Arrange the bread on a large baking sheet and brush with butter. Broil 6 inches from the heat until lightly toasted, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer 4 slices of the bread to a work surface. Flip the remaining 4 slices on the baking sheet and top with the beet slices, sauerkraut and cheese. Broil 6 inches from the heat until the cheese is melted. Close the sandwiches, cut in half and serve.

Instructions

Sift the first 5 ingredients into a bowl.Place the rest of the wet ingredients in a separate bowl and whisk thoroughly to combine.Add the dry ingredients into the wet and stir until just combined (you don’t want to overstir the batter — some lumps are good).Drop about 2 tbsp of the pancake mixture onto a greased griddle or pan over medium heat and cook for 3 minutes on each side.Serve with desired accompaniments- butter, syrup, honey or jam.To freeze: Place the pancakes in labeled zipper bags and freeze for up to 3 months.